Wet & Forget Active Ingredient

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#3208630 20-Mar-2024 15:22

robjg63:
A while ago, I bought some window cleaner that had the 2.5L container that clips on the hose for application purposes.

It was pretty useless, but I kept the applicator and filled it with regular supermarket bleach.....

I had read (maybe on Geekzone) that Wet and Forget has the better clip on hose applicator. The recommendation being to buy their product once for the applicator, then go down the generic route for refilling.

mattwnz

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#3208632 20-Mar-2024 15:23

David321:

Definitely check out the bioshield website, same active ingredient at a fraction of the cost. Check out the website, the guy slams wet and forget!

The only issue is that it only seems to come in large 5L containers, rather than a smaller cheaper bottle.

tripper1000

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#3208636 20-Mar-2024 15:32

Guys, a few people seem to be thinking that Benzalkonium Chloride (etc) and Sodium Hypochlorite are interchangeable or the same.

This isn't quite correct. Most of the cleaning brands do sell both products, but packed and marketed separately.

Sodium Hypocrite is a bleach & typically marketed as a cleaner.

Benzalkonium Chloride is a type of preservative or disinfectant and is typically marketed as moss and mould killer. (Also found in eye-drops and alcohol-free hand sanitiser).

They both work different ways and don't necessarily work on the same substances and can affect substrates different (think bleach on your hands vs non-alcohol hand sanitiser).

Although various brands can contain the same active ingredient, one of the differences between the brands can be the surfactants that are added (or not added at all) - these help the product to spread on the surface and stick to it, giving it a chance to work, rather than falling straight off. So when you buy the active ingredient in bulk, you might have to add your own surfactant, to make it stick (I just chuck some dish-washing detergent in when I mix it up).

David321

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#3208665 20-Mar-2024 17:22

mattwnz:
David321:

Definitely check out the bioshield website, same active ingredient at a fraction of the cost. Check out the website, the guy slams wet and forget!

The only issue is that it only seems to come in large 5L containers, rather than a smaller cheaper bottle.

Which would be ideal for the op is he has a large area to do

_David_

neb

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#3208674 20-Mar-2024 17:48

cddt:
Similar topic, are these products suitable to apply to a roof to prevent moss buildup? Roof is coloursteel I think.

It depends, has it got to the point where the moss is a structural component yet?

neb

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#3208676 20-Mar-2024 17:49

tripper1000:
Although various brands can contain the same active ingredient, one of the differences between the brands can be the surfactants that are added (or not added at all) - these help the product to spread on the surface and stick to it, giving it a chance to work, rather than falling straight off. So when you buy the active ingredient in bulk, you might have to add your own surfactant, to make it stick (I just chuck some dish-washing detergent in when I mix it up).

BZK is a surfactant, so you're getting two-for-one.

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#3208732 20-Mar-2024 18:28

cddt:

Similar topic, are these products suitable to apply to a roof to prevent moss buildup? Roof is coloursteel I think.

Previous house had concrete tiles, Edwards & Hardie came and sprayed something on it to kill the moss, but I'm thinking of going the DIY route in our new place.

I would read the coloursteel warranty and contact colorsteel as to what products you can use on it without damaging surface. I don't know what product these roof cleaning companies spray on the roof to clean off lichen.

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#3209054 21-Mar-2024 10:43

tripper1000:

one of the differences between the brands can be the surfactants that are added (or not added at all) -

Another difference is how it affects plants. Where we spray can get on my plants so I personally don't use the bleach products.

outdoorsnz

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#3209059 21-Mar-2024 10:49

tripper1000:

Guys, a few people seem to be thinking that Benzalkonium Chloride (etc) and Sodium Hypochlorite are interchangeable or the same.

This isn't quite correct. Most of the cleaning brands do sell both products, but packed and marketed separately.

It is quite easy. The bleach etc products, i.e. marketed as cleaning product stinks like hell and leaves your nose stuffy and you don't want it on your skin etc. Requires scrubbing and hosing not long after applying.

The latter - alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride or similar, is designed to spay on and walk away! Doesn't stink like bleach, though you still want to avoid getting on your skin which is hard as hell when you have a cross breeze.

outdoorsnz

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#3209062 21-Mar-2024 10:55

duckDecoy:

Another difference is how it affects plants. Where we spray can get on my plants so I personally don't use the bleach products.

I don't think any of those products are plant friendly. I use a old large long tarp to cover plants as I go and then give them a bit of hose down later on to be safe as any leaf etc will die if touched. I personally would not use bleach.

johno1234

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#3209086 21-Mar-2024 11:39

FYI - HamChem do a 5L "KEEP KLEEN" (BENZYL-C12-16-ALKYLDIMETHYLAMMONIUM CHLORIDE) for about $75 which is used at 20:1 dilution. Compare to W&F 5L at 5:1 for $99. Wow!

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#3209195 21-Mar-2024 15:38

johno1234:
FYI - HamChem do a 5L "KEEP KLEEN" (BENZYL-C12-16-ALKYLDIMETHYLAMMONIUM CHLORIDE) for about $75 which is used at 20:1 dilution. Compare to W&F 5L at 5:1 for $99. Wow!

That's BZK, which you can buy in 5L lots for... I cant' remember what it was at Bunnings but a lot less than either $75 or $99.

mentalinc

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#3209252 21-Mar-2024 16:09

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johno1234

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#3209257 21-Mar-2024 16:24

neb:
johno1234:

FYI - HamChem do a 5L "KEEP KLEEN" (BENZYL-C12-16-ALKYLDIMETHYLAMMONIUM CHLORIDE) for about $75 which is used at 20:1 dilution. Compare to W&F 5L at 5:1 for $99. Wow!

That's BZK, which you can buy in 5L lots for... I cant' remember what it was at Bunnings but a lot less than either $75 or $99.

I believe the Bunnings product is diluted 5:1 (as is W&F) but Keep Kleen is 20:1 so 4 times the coverage

angski

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#3209987 23-Mar-2024 23:42

if you are in Wellington, just go to Clor-O-Gene Supplies in Petone and ask for their 15% Sodium Hypochlorite concentration, it is around $18.
I used it to kill the moss on the concrete ground, the moss on the fence, anything goes.

W&F is far too expensive for a generic chemical. You pay for their marketing promotion and their nozzle attachment.

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